Dear Christian friends:

“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13) The people sang as Jesus rode on the donkey into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday. In fulfillment of the ancient prophecy Jesus rode into the city as a King. Later on Friday many of these people condemned Jesus as a criminal and yet before Pontius Pilate Jesus said He was a King. And the title above His head on the cross said: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." (Matthew 27:37)

Jesus is a King. Before Pontius Pilate He said He was a King of truth. Our text for today shows us:


One word describes Jesus and His Kingdom very well. There is no falseness or lies in Him. And those who belong to His Kingdom are true. They know the truth and tell the truth. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

His Kingdom is a Kingdom of truth. To Pontius Pilate Jesus said, "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (John 18:37)

Man is basically untrue. Dishonest, hypocritical, two faced. So is the kingdom of the world. Politicians, Adlai Stevenson's article in the recent article of National Geographic.

Jesus the King of Truth shows dishonest man the truth about himself that he is a lost and condemned sinner. Pleads with man not to hide his sin or excuse it or argue that it is all right. Jesus corrected Judas in verse 7.

Jesus said of Himself that He is the Son of God who came from heaven to tell the truth that God loves man even though he is sinful and sent Him to suffer the punishment of sin instead of us.

The people in our text had to either accept this King or reject Him. Pilate asked, "What is truth?" Yet denied all truth to hide his sin. People do that today with the Ten Commandments and the Gospel.

Mary show that she believed Jesus was the King of Truth by the costly gift of perfume. Judas tried to be on both sides. (verses 5&6) Judas found out he couldn't. Jesus proved to him his hypocrisy. (verses 7&8) If Judas really believed in Jesus, He would love to see what Mary did for Jesus.

We, too, must either accept or reject Jesus, the King of Truth. We are either like Mary or like Judas. There is no middle ground. Are you like Mary? All for Jesus. Nothing to hard or costly? Or are you like Judas? Always complaining about church work and having to give money for Jesus?

A man who wants to build a frame church and argues it will save money over building a stone church. He isn't interested in saving money for the poor, but He doesn't want to give himself. Complains about the church budget, always wanting to cut down and argue that's wise and thrifty are usually not interested in thrift. They don't want to dig down and give themselves like Judas here.

I'm sure that after meeting Jesus the King of Truth we must confess our falseness, crookedness and sin. Then let us flee to His true mercy and forgiveness and find strength to love Him truly as Mary did.

Amen.